Green Youth
by Igornerd
Summary: Team Gai decides to cheer up their sensei. Short one-shot set after the war. AU.


**A\N: This short one-shot is based on a prompt swap with my friend GwendolynStacy. She asked for Team Gai + "It wasn't my idea". Hope you enjoy it!**

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Tenten had spent all morning looking for her teammates. Nobody had seen them around the village, not even Gai-sensei, but he was still at the hospital. They had not visited him yet, which was very odd.

In the end she decided to check their usual training spots and judging by the fighting sounds someone was sparring nearby. As she got closer, she finally found Neji and Lee, having a go at their officially one-sided rivalry because Neji would never admit that he cared about Lee that way.

It was kinda ridiculous because even Naruto and Sasuke had managed to agree on that, and Sasuke was technically still a missing-nin.

There was something odd about them though. Something different, something she couldn't really pinpoint at first...

Then she realized what it was and she couldn't help but stare.

"Neji," she called, still not believing what she was seeing. "Why are you wearing one of Lee's jumpsuits?"

The two boys stopped, finally realizing she had been staring all this time. How did Neji hadn't noticed her with the Byakugan, she couldn't tell.

"It wasn't my idea," Neji admitted, looking incredibly self-conscious.

"Yosh!" Lee exclaimed at his usual volume. "It totally was Neji's idea! We thought that seeing our youthfulness would cheer up Gai-sensei during his stay in the hospital!"

"That's very thoughtful of you two," Tenten said, trying to not snicker at Neji's embarrassment.

"Oh, don't worry, I have one for you too!" Lee said, promptly presenting another green jumpsuit. Where he had taken it from, she couldn't tell.

"No," she said firmly. There was no way she would—

"Aaw come on, it's for Gai-sensei," Lee insisted, smiling. Tenten felt her resistance crumble, it was like looking at a puppy begging for a treat.

"Yes, Tenten," Neji offered with a smirk. "Do it for Gai-sensei."

" _Fine,"_ she conceded in the end, grabbing the ridiculous garment. If Neji could do this, so could she.

"Gai-sensei will love it! Come on, show us how it looks on you!"

"Lee, I'm not changing in front of you two!" she protested.

* * *

It was truly a sight to behold. And frankly, a kinda scary one.

Most of the village had gotten used to Maito Gai and Rock Lee's antics. That didn't mean that they understood why they acted that way, but they weren't surprised by their manners anymore. So, seeing the two supposedly normal members of the team suddenly changing their minds was a bit of a shock.

As they strolled towards the hospital, Lee grinning with pride, Tenten saw people gawking and whispering.

Some thought that she and Neji had finally snapped. Others thought that the war had probably damaged their psyches, since war was terrible and all that. And finally, others were wondering if they were contagious.

Tenten didn't really care for those though. There was something else annoying her.

"Neji," she said, unamused. "If you don't stop looking at me that way, I'll throttle you."

"I have no idea what do you mean," Neji lied, blushing a little.

* * *

At the hospital, after Gai-sensei's initial surprise and a short explanation, there were a lot of tears. Which Tenten supposed should count as manly tears— _YOUTHFUL tears,_ Lee and Gai-sensei insisted—but were still tears.

She didn't cry, obviously. Neither did Neji. As much as they were glad that Gai-sensei appreciated their show of camaraderie and best wishes for his health, his and Lee's enthusiasm kinda ruined it. Especially since they kept getting Gai-sensei's bandages damp.

Oh, sure, she smiled at seeing the three most important guys in her life being so happy together. She even asked for a team hug. Well, mostly a team hug. Half of Gai-sensei's body was trapped in a cast, but he tried to make-do with proclamations of pride and something about the Springtime of Youth finally blooming.

Gai-sensei finished showing his liquid pride just before the end of the visiting hours. Once outside of the hospital, Lee realized that he had skipped his early afternoon workout routine. He quickly said goodbye and ran away, swearing that he would make-up for the time lost by doing it using only his fingertips, or something crazy like that.

She and Neji looked at him with various degrees of amusement before realizing it was only the two of them.

"So," Tenten started. "I guess we're free for the rest of the day."

"It seems so. I'll bid you farewell, then," he said with a small bow. Tenten stared at him, wondering if not catching a hint was a Hyuuga thing or it was just Neji being Neji.

"You know, you don't look bad with that on," she said before he had taken three steps. He stopped and turned around with an embarrassed expression, as if he had just remembered what he was wearing.

"Thanks," he said, uncertain how to continue. "You too."

"Yes, I noticed how you seem to _appreciate_ it," she snorted, gesturing at her green-clad figure.

"I-I mean… that's not…"

Oh, he was adorable. She may have to wear this more often.

"Say, do you want to go out? We skipped lunch."

He looked at her for a few, long seconds before answering. "Sure, I would love that."

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 **A\N:** **I hope you enjoyed it! Check out the story that GwendolynStacy wrote for our prompt swap, "** **Teaspoons, Pups and Flowerpots".**


End file.
